Web folding method and apparatus



Nov. 9, 1937. J. MENSCHNER 2,098,427

WEB FOLDING METHOD AND APPARATUS Filed Dec. 19, 1955 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig.4.

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Nov. 9, 1937, MENSCHNER 2,098,427

WEB FOLDING METHOD AND APPARATUS Filed Dec. 19, 1935 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 We Ailornqys Nov. 9, 1937. J. MENSCHNER 2,098,427

WEB FOLDING METHOD AND APPARATUS Filed Dec. 19, 1935 I 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Nov. 9, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application December 19, 1935, Serial No. 55,170 In Germany December 24, 1934 '8 Claims. (Cl. 270-19) This invention relates to a process for measuring the lengths of single or double running webs in folding machines having pressure grippers.

In the known folding machines there will occur,

when folding the web by folding blades or the like, a certain tension of the web. If the web is released by lifting the pressure grippers or catchers known per se with folding machines a slackening of the laid fold and thus a shortening of the fold length in relation to the adjusted hub of the folding shovel will take place. For this reason it was necessary heretofore to rely on individual discretion and judgment in extending the hub of the folding shovel to a length greater than that theoretically required for a given measurement. As different webs necessarily possess different possibilities of tension it has been necessary to adjust the hub of the folding shovel by hand for each different web and consequently a gaugelike measuring of the web in a folding machine was not possible.

According to the present invention the difference between the laid slackened fold length and the theoretical length of a slackened fold is made use of for adjusting and regulating the length of the fold to be newly laid.

This is accomplished by letting a groper feel along the folded edge of the topmost slackened fold and by regulating the hub length of the folding shovel for--the top fold according to the position of said groper.

If, because of the slackening of the web, there is found in the topmost laid slackened fold a variation from the proper measurement, the new top fold being formed will, by changing the hub length of the folding shovel, be changed to correct said variation so that in the new topmost fold the fold length will approach the desired measurement.

Since webs of different thickness are measured in the folding machine, there may occur at the reversing point of the laid fold, due to the thickness of the web itself, a wrong adjustment in respect to the desired length of fold. In order to avoid this disadvantage the feeling or groping levers with their appliances are adjusted in relation to the desired measurement, taking into consideration the actual thickness of the web. This adjustment can take place either by hand or automatically.

In order to avoid the mistake which on feeding along the pile might occur through the change of level of the top layer, the table for receiving the pile will be automatically lowered in a nfanner known per se in accordance with the changing level of the pile, so that the feeling or groping levers will always come into contact with the fold formed at the same horizontal-level.

Instead of the automatic mechanical lowering of the table as just described, the lowering may be effected by having the table mounted more or less resiliently, as on springs, so ,that it will be lowered by the increasing weight of the material folded thereon together with the downward pressure of the holding grippers. In this case the upward pressure supporting the table should be slightly more than the downward pressure of the material, but slightly less than the combined downward pressure of the material and the grippers.

It may be noted that folding machines and web tensioning machines heretofore known had employed gropers or the like to regulate the web supply by feeling along the longitudinal edges of the incoming web, as distinguished from applican'ts arrangement in which the gropers contact the folded edges of the web.

Constructions are also known in which the hub of the knife in web folding machines is displaced by mechanical means; but it must be noted that in such prior constructions the displacement of the knife is not adjustable to correspond with the difference in length between the laid fold of the material and the measurement which is desired.

A practical embodiment of the invention is represented in the drawings in which Figs. 1 and 2 represent diagrammatically in longitudinal vertical section a folding machine, showing respectively two different positions of the folding blade or shovel;

Fig. 3 shows the pressure grippers in a plan view;

Fig. 4 shows diagrammatically the device for automatically regulating the feeling and groping levers for running webs of different thickness;

Figs. 5 and 6 show two different constructions for automatically adjusting the table downwards in correspondence with the level of the pile;

Fig. 7 shows diagrammatically the apparatus for regulation of the folds; and

Fig. 8 shows diagrammatically a modified form of the folding machine.

Figs. 1 and 2 refer to a folding machine of a known type, in which I is the crank shaft driven for instance by a motor. The crank 2 mounted on the shaft moves a crank rod 3 one end of which is formed as a rack arranged to engage the pinion or gear wheel 5 fixed on the shaft 4. By this means the shaft 4, together with the odically turned towards left and right during each rotation of the crank shaft This periodical movement is transferred to the steel band or belt 9, passing around the pulley 5 and guide rolls 1 and 8, the steel band having inserted therein a pair of reversing blade l0, l0, mounted on a horizontally guided carria e H.

The latter will consequently receive a periodical to and fro movement in a horizontal direction; at the same time in a known manner the pair of reversing blades l0, I0 is turned around the horizontal pivot l2 mounted in the carriage II by means of a turner l4, pivotally mounted at i3 and changing its angular position.

The web I5 is pulled down by means of a folding shovel together with the reversing blades l0, l0 over the guiding rollers l5, l6, and when using doubled webs over the doubling rods i1, H, from the doubling angle 8, and is, in a known manner, put by the pressure grippers l9 and 20 'onto the table 2| in layers to form a pile, the fold length of which is to be a measured unit, for instance one meter.

In order to be able according to the present invention to alter the hub of the folding shovel, the axle |3 of the governing arm l4 carrying the folding shovel is connected with the worm 25 by means of a lever 25, pivoting around the bolt or pin; and by means of the worm wheel segment 24. This worm 26 is fixed to the shaft driven by the motor 21 and is arranged preferably to be self-retarding in action.

The governing of the motor 21 in this case takes place by means of the feeling or groping lever 3|, which comes to lie against the edge of the fold and which is passed through an opening 29 in the pressure gripper 20. In order to ensure, when beginning to lay the pile, that the feeling or groping lever will come to lie against the edge of the first fold, the table 2| for receiving the pile is provided with an opening 30. The feeling lever 3| is provided at its rearward prolongation with a contact 32, swinging between the contact springs 33, 34, the latter being connected by conducting wires with the motor clamps 35, 35, corresponding to the forward or backward running of the motor 21.

The contact 32 is connected by means of a movable small cable with the clamp 31, from which, as from the third motor clamp 38, conducting wires 33, run to the electric source.

Inserted into one of these conducting wires, for instance 40, there is a pair of contacts 4|, 42, periodically actuated to permit the passage of .the current only when the top web layer is in aslackened state. For this purpose there is arranged on the main shaft of the folding machine a cam disc 43 having a notch 44, into which the roller on the lever 41 pivotally mounted at 46 and carrying the contact 4| can fall, thus closing the circuit between contacts 4|, 42 and effecting the connection of the governing device with the electric source.

This is arranged to take place when the top web layers of the pile are in a slackened condition. Such working position is shown in Fig. 2. The reversing blade l0, III has, afterfeeding the web to the pressure gripper l9 shown on the left side, again returned with the fold and will only be a few centimeters in front of the pressure gripper 20 (on the right side), which is lifted (by means of known devices not shown in detail) at the same time releasing the top layer, still under tension up to then, and permitting the same to driving pulley 6 also fixed thereon, will be penassume the normal length corresponding to its slackened condition. 'At this moment the feeling action of the groping lever 3| will become effective, because at the same time the roller 45 drops into the notch 44 on the cam disc 43 permitting the lever 41 to drop, so as to close the pair of contacts 4|, 42 and complete the connection with the electric source along the, conducting wire 40.

Now if the contact 32 of the groping-lever 3| touches one of the two contact springs 33, 34, an

operating current will pass throfigh the motor winding arranged for right hand or left hand revolution, and the pivoting point |3 of the reversing device |4 will accordingly be lifted or lowered, until the current is turned on by separating the contacts 4|, 42, which occurs as soon as the cam disc 43 rotates suflicientiy to raise the roller 45 on lever 41 out of the notch 44.

The interruption of the contacts 4|, 42 must take place before the formation of the top web fold is completed, because otherwise the latter would, owing to the increased hub length of the folding shovel, protrude and disturb the correct regulation.

The entire groper device 48 containing the contact pieces 32-34 and the groping lever 3| can be mounted on the frame of the machine and adjusted by a handle 43 at the marked point 50, for a given unit of measurement such as: fold length=one meter.

If webs of different thickness are to be measured, the influence of the changing thickness of the web can be compensated foreither by correspondingly adjusting the groper device itself or by adjusting the countercontacts coacting with the groper. For adjustment by hand the groper device is slidably arranged on a support or rail and is moved along the rail, in accordance with the thickness of the web, in such a manner that the groper will come to lie against the topmost slackened fold.

This adjustment can also take place automatically, and Fig. 4 shows such mode of construction for an automatic regulation and adjustment of the contacts, co-acting with the groper. There is arranged a groping device 52 having a "two armed lever 54 turnable around an axis 53, which lever carries the countercontacts 55, 55.

The lever 54 with the countercontacts 55, 54 is rocked by the pushing rod 53 guided at 51 and being under tension of a spring 5|, the pushing rod having mounted thereon a roller 55 bearing against the web i5, at a point where it is supported by a second roller mounted on a fixed axle and acting as a counterbearing.

In order to ensure that the gropers 3|, 32 properly feel along the top web layer of the pile 22, it is essential that said layer will always remain at approximately the same level. For some webs the regulation by thev pressure of the pressure grippers will suflice, whereas for other webs it will be necessary to provide a device for lowering the table having automatic height adJusting means, such as are known with other textile machines, for instance with machines for inserting pressboards into cloths or webs.

Two such governing devices operating on different principles are shown in Figs. 5 and 6.

Fig. 5 shows the web pile 22 reposing on the table 2|, the pressure grippers l9 and 23 being under the tension of the springs 88, 39 resting on the top fold of said pile- The position of the grippers may thus be taken as a measure for the level of the top web layer and used for interpolating a governing electric current.

For this purpose the levers 90, 90 carrying the pressure grippers I9, 20 have two arms and bear the contacts 92, 92', being connected to the conducting line 9|, which contacts will, when the top web layer is-on a correct level, come to lie just in front of the respective countercontacts 93, 93', The contacts 92, 92' and 93, 93' are connected in' parallel and there leads from the contacts 93, 93' a further conducting line to the clamps 95 of the motor 94, whereas there is connected to the other motor clamp 96 the conducting line 91, which runs back to the electric source.

If the pile 92 exceeds the normal level the pressure grippers I9, 20 will be lifted, the levers 90, 90' will be turned and the contacts 92, 92' will be brought in touch with the countercontacts 93, 93', thus closing the circuit which operates the motor 94. The latter begins to turn and drives the rack I03 by way of the worm 98 coupled' to the motor, the worm. wheel 99, the pair ofgear wheels I00, IM and the pinion I02, so that the table 2| connected to the rack will be lowered together with the pile 22. This takes place until the contacts 92, 93 and 92, 93' again open and the motor 94 is again stopped. This operation will be.repeated from time to time on any further rising of the level of the pile.

In order to inhibit said regulation during the working positions, in which the pressure grippers I9, 20 are lifted from the pile 22, the electric current will be,interrupted during this time by a pair of contacts I08, I09, interpolated into the conducting line 9I. For this purpose a cam disc I04 having two noses I05, I05 is mounted on the main shaft I06, which disc periodically lifts the roll lever I01 together with the contact I08 connected thereto and thus breaks the contact at I08, I09. In order to allow the levers 90, 90 to swing out on lifting the pressure grippers I9, 20, the contacts 93, 93' are fastened to levers III, III', which are resiliently held in operative position against the adjustable stops H2, H3 by means of springs IIO, II

Fig. 6 shows another solution of the problem in which the drive for lowering the table is not effected by the governing motor but by the shaft of the machine, the reversible motor serving only to regulate the rapidity of lowering.

For this purpose there is arranged on the lever 90 serving for moving the pressure gripper 20 a contact l I3 having two contact surfaces, which contact moves between the contacts 93 and H4. The contact 93 is again fastened on the lever I II held by the spring H0 against the screw II 2, whereas the contact H4 is stationary but adjustable. Each contact is connected by conductinglines with the motor clamps I I5 or I I6 respectively for causing forward or backward operation of the motor II9 whereas the third motor clamp I I1 is connected to one of the conducting lines II9, the other conducting line I20 being connected to the governing contact II 3.

The lowering of the table is eifected by the main shaft I2I of the machine, which by an eccentric I22 seated on the same imparts to the pawl I24 an oscillating movement with the assistance of a pushing rod I23, so that the ratchet wheel I 25 is turned and effects with the aid of the pinion wheel I25 and the rack I 21 the lowering of the table 2I together with the pile 22.

The number of teeth of the wheel I25 interpolated on each oscillation may be regulated by adjusting the trip cam I29 fixed to the lever I28,

which cam will coact with the roll I30 on the back of the pawl I24 and lift the pawl I24 from the teeth of the wheel I25. The lever I20 plvotally mounted on the shaft I3l of the wheel I25 carries I30 and thus of the number of teeth of the wheel I25 moved at each oscillation.

With this gearing also there is provided a roll lever I34 which is lifted by a nose I35 of the cam disc I36 and eifects the separation of the pair of contacts 93, H4 interpolated into the conducting line I20 as soon as the pressure gripper 20 is lifted during the work. 4

With the above described mode of construction the amplitude of the groper in correspondence with its deviation from the desired position of measurement is made use of for regulating the hub length of the folding shovel for the first layer of the topmost fold when the latter is formed. For this adjustment there is only given a comparatively short time which may cause dimculties in effectively regulating the hub length of the folding shovel.

In order to avoid this disadvantage and to obtain more time for the adjustment of the hub length of the folding shovel, the construction shown in Fig. 'I may be used, in which the amphtude of the groper, in accordance with its deviation from the desired position of measurement serves to regulate the hub length of the folding shovel for the second layer of the fold being newly formed above the fold already felt along by the groper, or for one of the layers of the folds immediately following the same, in which case the folds already regulated in their:length are used with the intermediate of the groper for regulating the hub length of the folding shovel.

As will be seen by the diagrammatic drawing Fig. '7, A is a slackened fold already regulated in its length, against the edge a of which the'groper 0 comes to lie. The groper, as in the mode of construction shown in Figs. 1 to 6, operates in connection with the device for regulating or adjusting the hub length of the folding shovel.

However, with the mode of construction shown in Fig. 7 the play of the groper c is not made use of for the first layer d of the fold B to be newly laid, but for regulating the length of the second layer e. In order to form the fold B, newly to be laid, naturally the pressure gripper 20' according to Fig. 8 must come to lie on the fold B newly formed, so that the length of said fold lying immediately beneath the pressure gripper can on this side not be adjustably regulated.

The adjusted hub length of the folding shovel for the second layer e will still have its effect also on the next fold C consisting of two layers, and as a regulation command is not given by the edge of, the fold B, this adjustment of the hub length will also have its effect on the fold D.

Since, however, in the meantime the groper c has felt along the edges of the layer. C, a regulation command will again be given and a regulation of the hub length of the blade will then take place with the second layer of the fold D.

A feeling along the edge of the fold B will not take place because this edge has not as yet been correctly regulated by the groper. If also the edge of the fold B were to be felt along by the groper and a regulation command be given, an over-regulatioh would take place which would act disadvantageously.

The groper will thus, whilst skipping one fold,

always feel along the edge of the next fold but one, viz: the folds already regulated in their length are utilized by the groper to regulate the hub length of the folding shovel. The interruption of the action of the groper will take place by means of a periodical switch known per se, which interrupts the electric current within the g oper c in accordance with the position of the cam disc I31, such as has been explicitly described for the-construction according to Figs. 1 to 6., As the roll' I feels along the periphery of the/disc ill, the points of contact I, it! are separated and the current will not be able toilow within the conducting wires ill to the groper c. However,when the roll I" falls into the groove Ill of the disc III the circuit is closed-at I39, I39; and the position of the disc I31 with its groove Ill is so selected that the flow of current will only take place at the moment when the pressure r pper presses onto theweb and the groper c is in the neighbourhood of the fold edge to be regulated.

In order to adjust the play of the groper c in accordance with the fold edge to be felt along, and in accordance with the desired fold length regulation (by changing the hub length of the folding shovel), the groove Ill of the disc I31 can be made correspondingly long, so that the time for regulating the hub length of the folding shovel by the groper 0 can be prolonged at will.

The process according to the invention as shown in the diagrammaticdrawing Fig. 7, is as follows:

According to the scheme shown the slackened fold A is shown in a full line; the fold B is also shown in a full line, but in the second layer e a part beginning at line f is drawn in a. dotted line, which is to show the beginning of regulation of the hub length. The fold C is drawn in a dotted line, to show that the regulated hub length also has its effect on-said fold C. Also the fold D isdrawn in a dotted line to show that the hub regulation will partly also extendto this fold. With the fold D the fold edge D' shows the posi-- tion of the fold in a tensioned state, and after de-tension or slackening the fold D will go back to D". The second layer ofthe fold D is drawn on from the point g in dot and dash manner,

which again is to show that the hub regulation What I claim is:

1. The process of measuring and determining the length of fold in a web folding machine having pressure-grippers which includes, feeling along the folded edge of the topmost slackened fold to ascertain the actual position of said edge 'and regulating the length of a succeeding fold in accordance with the deviation of said actual position' of the folded edge from the desired position thereof. i I

2. The process of measuring and determining the length of fold in a web folding machine having pressure-grippers which includes, feeling along the folded edge of the topmost slackened fold to ascertain the actual position of said edge and regulating the extent of effective folding motion of the folding mechanism in accordance with the deviation of said actual position of the folded edge from the desired position thereof.

3. A web folding machine, comprising a pivoted reciprocating folding shovel, a groping device adapted to bear against a folded edge of the material, means for adjusting and regulatingv the hub length of the folding shovel and means for controlling said adjusting and regulating means in accordance with the position of the groping device.

4. A web folding machine, comprising a pivoted reciprocating folding shovel, a groping device adapted to bear against a folded edge of the material, means for adjusting and regulating the hub length of the folding shovel and electrical means for controlling said adjusting and regulating means in accordance with the position of the groping device.

5. A web folding machine according to claim 4 including means for rendering inoperative the electrical means for controlling said adjusting and regulating means during part of the cycle of operation of the machine when the groping device is not bearing against the edge of a fold.

6. A web folding machine according to claim 3 comprising an adjustable support for the groping device, whereby the position of said device may be chang iin accordance with the thickness of the webito bemeasured.

7. A web molding machine according to claim 4, comprising contact surfaces disposed on each side of the groping device and means for moving said contact surfaces, said means including a fixed roller adjacent one surface of the web to be folded, a movable roller adjacent the opposite surface of the web and a connection between the movable roller and the contact surfaces.

8. A web folding machine according to claim 3 comprising a movable table for receiving the pile of folded material and automatic means for adjusting the height of said table with respect to the position of the folded edge acted on by the groping device.

JOHANNES MENSCHNER. 

